Imprinting or embellishing apparatus



April 18, 1939. J. cA @ANGEL 2,155,185

IMPRINTING OR EMBELLISHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l April S, 1939. J, C. GANGEL 2,155,185 I IMPRINTING OR EMBELLISHING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v lNvENTOR, JH Y C G'HNGEL Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MRINTING R EMBELLISHING APPARATUS tion of New York Application October 18,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to imprinting or embellishing apparatus and provides improvements therein.

Many stores catering to well-to-do customers,

foster their trade by an appealv to the individuality ofthe customer. For example, the customers monogram is imprinted on goods which he purchases. Apparatus heretofore in use for this purpose is too expensive for the general run of storekeepers, and the service of imprinting or embellishing goods to meet the individual desires or tastes of the customer is thus restricted.

The present invention provides an imprinting or embellishing apparatus of a very simple construction, which can be made at loW cost, and sold at a price which will permit of popular use amongst storekeepers. The invention further provides an apparatus capable of use for imprinting or embellishing a wide variety of articles, which is readily adjustable to .attain the most economical use of the printing ribbon, and which facilitates and speeds the work of imprinting small articles and those which are somewhat awkward to handle in carrying out the imprinting operation.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is also a view in side elevation showing a part of the apparatus from the opposite side of that shown in Fig. 1. A

Figs. 3 and 4 are top plan views of a part of the knock-out mechanism', the parts being shown 35 in two diiferent positions of operation.

Fig. 5 is a view of the apparatus in front elevation.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in` section and partly in side elevation of the plunger and its head equipped 40 with heating means. Y

Fig. '7 is a cross-section of a chase containing a printing form, adapted to be attached to the head shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to said drawings, numeral I0 desig- 45 nates a frame, which. is advantageously of the form shown. That is, the frame has a goose-neck portion l2 which overhangs a bed I 4, andA provides maximum access tothe space beneath the plunger. The neck-portion I2' mayy have an en- 50- largement I6 thereon, which has a vertical bore |78 therethrough which supports and guides a reciprocatory plunger 20 therein. The bore I8 and the plunger 20 are conveniently round, the plunger 20 being longitudinally slotted as indicated at 55' 22A to'receive a. pin 24 carried bythe head portion 1937, Serial N0. 169,557

I6, which prevents turning of the plunger 20. The plunger 20 is preferably provided with a head 26, which head is preferably provided with suitable means for heating. The heating means preferably comprises a small electrical resistance unit 5 28 which is held within a recess` 29 in the head 26 as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. A thermostat 3U may be provided for regulating the temperature of the headv 26.

Numeral 33 designates a printing form, 4and this advantageously forms a separate unit or combination of units, placed and held in a chase 35, which chase is also preferably formed separately from the plunger head 26 and provided with means, as a dove-tail portion 31 fitting within a dove-tail groove 38` for fastening the chase to the head. The head 26 andthe chase 35 are of metal and the head when heated imparts heat to the chase and printing form 33 therein. 39V designates a clamp for fastening the printing form 33 in the chase. Numeral 40 designates a set-screw mounted on the head and adapted to set against the chase 35 to prevent movement of the chase when connected to the head 26fthrough the dove-tail connections 31, 38.

Means are provided for reciprocating the plunger 20. These means advantageously comprise an oscillatory shaft mounted in a bore in the enlarged portion I6 of the frame, and a pinion 41 fixed" to the shaft 45, and arranged to engage a rack 49 on the adjacent side of the plunger 20. A handle 50 attached to the shaft 45, at one side of the enlarged portion I6, serves to oscillate saidl shaft, and thereby, through the pinion 41 and rack 49, translate the oscillatory movement of' the shaft 45 to reciprocatory movement of the plunger 20. The plunger 20 is normally pressed toward its upper position by a spring 53, one end of which hooks on a p-in 54 on the shaft 45, and the other end of which is held` by a screw 56 on the side of the enlarged portion I6 of the frame.

The imprint or embellishment is usually done in color, and to this end an inking ribbon 60 is interposed between the printing form 33 and the article. The ribbon 60 carries a composition containing a colored pigment, which pigment is transferred to the article under the action of the plunger 20 and the printing form 33 carried thereby. The composition is usually of a character which requires heat for effectingr a transfer, and this heat is supplied by the heating unit 28 and the metal parts 26 and 35 Which conduct the heat to the printing form 33. Means are provided for leading the ribbon 60 beneath the plunger 20 and the printing form 33 thereon, and for taking it up intermittently to provide fresh portions for the action of the printing form. This means comprises a spindle 62 rotatably mounted in a boss 64 on an arm 66 fastened to a side of the portion I6 of the frame, as indicated at 68, Fig. 2. A spool 10 may be fastened to the spindle 52, to rotate therewith, as by means of a fastening screw 12. The spindle 62 (and with it the spool 10) is intermittently rotated by suitable means, which means are advantageously as follows: A ratchet Wheel 15 is fastened on the shaft 62, and this ratchet wheel is engaged by a pawl 11 pivoted on a lever arm 19, which lever arm pivots on the spindle 62, as indicated at 8|, Fig. 5. A rockarm is fastened on the oscillatory shaft 45, at one side of the enlarged portion |6 of the frame, and the rock-arm 85 and the free end of the arm 19 are connected by a link 86. The'rocking movement of the arm 85, when the shaft 45 is oscillated through the action of the handle 50 and the spring 53, through the action of the link 86, lever-arm 19, pawl 11 and ratchet wheel 15, acts to intermittently rotate the spindle 62 and take-up successive lengths of the ribbon 60 on the spool 10. The radius of the rock-arm 05 on the oscillatory shaft 45, is advantageously made adjustable. To this end the end of the shaft 45 may be slotted as indicated at 90, and the said arm sldably fitted therein. The arm 85 is also preferably slotted as indicated at 92, and a clamping screw which screws into the end of shaft 45, passes through the slot 92 in arm 85, and when the clamping screw 95 is tightened it serves to fasten the arm 85 to the shaft 45. By loosening the clamping screw 95, the radius of the arm 85 may be lengthened or sh0rtened, and thereby the throw of the lever 19 and the amount of the rotation of the spool 10 adjusted. This adjustment provides for economy in the use of the inking ribbon 60. The width of the printing portion of the printing form 33 varies for different printing forms, and the adjustment of the radius of the arm 05 by the means just described, permits of the spool 10, at each rotation, taking-up just suflicient of the ribbon 60 to provide a fresh portion beneath the imprinting portion of the printing form after each printing operation.

The ribbon 60 is usually supplied from a spool |00, and a pin or shaft |02 may be provided for supporting the spool |00. The pin |02 may be fixed at one end to an arm |04 which latter may be fastened to the goose-neck portion |2 of the frame, as seen in Fig. l. The spool |00 in the form of construction illustrated, turns on the pin |02 against a slight resistance.

Numerals |06, |01 designate ribbon-guides. These are advantageously in the form of rods having right angle ends |09, ||0, |l2. 'Ihe ends |09| fit in bores in the portions I2 and I6 of the frame, and are held therein, in any of a number of different positions of adjustment by set-screws ||4, ||5. The ends ||0 and ||2 are in sliding contact with the ribbon 60.

It is highly important to obtain uniformity of the imprints or impressions. For example, in embellishing a deck of cards with a monogram, uniformity is of great importance. Different operators, and the same operator at different operations, apply the printing form to the article with different pressures. To avoid these differences, an adjustable plunger-stop |20 is provided, which stop is advantageously in the form of a screw having threaded engagement with a platev |22 fitted on the upper part of plunger 20 and fastened thereon, as indicated at |23. The stop |20 is so located that its end abuts on the top of the portion I6 of the frame on the down-stroke of the plunger at a position Where its downward movement is to be arrested.

Knock-out means are advantageously provided for displacing articles after being imprinted. This means comprises a pusher |30 arranged to operate on the article. The pusher |30 may be, as here shown, a rod supported by blocks |32, |33, and axially movable therein in a plane parallel to the face of the bed |4 of the frame. The pusher |30 is pivotally connected to an arm |35 pivoted to the bed (or to a plate thereon), which arm has a cam |31 thereon.

The cam |31 is acted on by an arm |40 attached to the oscillatory shaft 45, preferably at the end thereof opposite to the arm 85. For this purpose the shaft 45 may be slotted as indicated at |43, the arm |44 fitting in the slot, and being fastened to the shaft 45 by a clamping screw |45, for example.

The arrangement of the arm |40 is such that it contacts with the cam |31 to retract and release the arm |35 and the pusher |30 connected thereto during the upward or rising movement of the plunger 20. A spring |50 is compressed during the retraction of the pus-her |30, and when the pusher is released the spring projects the pusher against the article. The pusher i 30 is preferably provided with a cushion-stop |55, which maybe of rubber. When the cushion-stop |55 strikes against the block |32, the pusher will move forward slightly after the contact is made between the cushion-stop |55 and the block |32, and then will be retracted slightly under the expanding action of the compressed rubber. In this way the pusher |30 may perform the function both of a locating device and an ejector or knock-out. As shown in the drawings, the end of the pusher extends axially into a holder |60, grooved to receive a lead pencil to be imprinted. To enable the arm |40 to pass the cam |31 on the oscillation of the shaft 45 corresponding to the downward or impression stroke of the plunger 20, the said arm |40 is provided with a toe-piece |63, pivoted to said arm in such manner as to yield and pass over the cam |31 when the arm |40 swings toI the right in Fig. 1, and which moves against a pin |65 which prevents it from yielding on the return movement, and on each return movement the toe |63 strikes against the cam |31 and forces it to move the lever |35, in the manner heretofore described.

Rsum of operation When it is desired to imprint or embellish an article, as the pencil shown in the drawings, Vthe pencil is placed in the holder |60 against the end of the pusher |30. The initial position of the parts is that shown in Fig. 1. The handle 50 is then turned toward the operator or to the left in Fig. 1. The plunger 20 is forced downward through the action of shaft 45, gear wheel 41, and rack 49, bringing the printing form 33 against the pencil, with the inking ribbon 60 interposed. The pressure of the printing form 33 (together with the heat in appropriate cases) effects the transfer of the outline of the printing form to the pencil. The lower position of the plunger and the printing form 33 thereon is regulated by the stop |20, so as to obtain a substantially uniform impression on each operation of the apparatus.

When the operator releases the handle 50, the

spring 53 oscillates the shaft 45 in the opposite direction raising or lifting the plunger 20 and the printing form 33 through the action of the gear 41 and rack 49.

As the shaft 45 oscillates, the two rock-arms 85 and |40 thereon move forward toward the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As the rock-arm 85 moves forward, it swings the lever arm 19 forward, and the pawl 11 thereon, through the rachet wheel 1'5, rotates the spindle 62 a distance of one or more teeth corresponding to the radial setting of the rock-arm 85. The radial setting of the rock-arm 85, and the consequent action of the lever arm 19, pawl 11, ratchet wheel 15, and spindle 62 is such that the spool 10 on the spindle 62 will take up enough of the inking ribbon 60 to draw a fresh portion of the ribbon 60 under the face of the imprinting portion of the printing form 33. Thus the machine may be adjusted to imprinting means of varying width, with a maximum economy in the use of the inking ribbon 60.

When the rock-arm |40 moves forward, as previously described, the toe |63 thereon strikes against the cam |31 on the lever |35 and moves it to retract the pusher |30. While moving forward, the toe |63 on rock-arm |40 moves off of the cam |31 and releasesV the arm |35, and when so released the pusher |30 is projected toward the pencil, the cushion yielding to enable the pusher to strike the pencil a light blow, and thereby knock-out or eject the pencil.

The apparatus may receive other embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a frame, a reciprocatory plunger, a head thereon for supporting a printing form, an oscillatory shaft having projecting ends, a pinion on said shaft, a rack on said plunger for imparting reciprocatory movement to said plunger, a handle near one end of said oscillatory shaft, a spindle for supporting a spool, guides for leading an inking-ribbon beneath said plunger to a spool on said spindle, and means for intermittently rotating said spindle to take up said ribbon on said spool, comprising a ratchet-wheel on said spindle, a lever-arm having a pawl thereon for intermittently rotating said ratchet-wheel, a rock-arm on said oscillatory shaft, and a connection between said rock-arm and said pawl-carrying lever arm.

2. Apparatus of the character described according to claim 1, wherein said rock-arm is adjustable toward and from the axis of said oscillatory shaft, so that the throw of said pawl-carrying lever may be adjusted to thereby adjust the take-up of the inking-ribbon onthe spool at each actuation of the lever-arm to an amount corresponding approximately to the width of the imprinting part of the printing form.

3. Apparatus of the character described according to claim 1, further including knock-out means, said latter means comprising a rock-arm on said oscillatory shaft, a pusher, and means coacting with said last named rock-arm to actuate said pusher on the rising movement of said plunger, to eject an article.

4. Apparatus of the character described according to claim 1, further comprising a knockout means, said latter means comprising a rockarm on said oscillatory shaft, a pusher, a lever for moving said pusher, a cam on said lever coacting with said last named rock-arm, on the rising movement of the plunger, to retract and release said lever to actuate said pusher to eject an article, said last-named rock-arm having a pivoted toe-piece arranged to yield and pass idly over said cam on the downward stroke of said plunger.

JAY C. GANGEL. 

